Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v20i0.3048
Preschool Teachers’ Music Competencies Based on Preschool Education Students’ Self-Assessment
Blaženka Bačlija Sušić
orcid.org/0000-0002-0984-765X
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education
Abstract
In view of numerous benefits of music in a child's overall development, music education is increasingly becoming an imperative and a challenge of the contemporary education practice. In this respect, every educator should have some level of music competency. The purpose of this paper was to examine the music competencies of early and preschool education students at the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Zagreb. The basic competencies, as well as those pertaining to teaching methodology and musical creativity were tested along with their implementation in the education practice. The study was based on students' self-assessment and a questionnaire designed for this purpose. In order to further the education practice, respondents were asked about the competencies they wanted to improve during their graduate study. A total of 223 students of the full-time and the part-time graduate study program of Early and Preschool Education at the Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb, took part in the survey. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were applied, and the results obtained show respondents' very positive assessment of their basic competencies and those pertaining to teaching methodology and musical creativity. However, their self-assessment of practical competencies and an expressed desire for improvement indicate an awareness of the need for further development of their musical competencies. Research results can serve as a guideline for improving the quality of music education, both at undergraduate and graduate preschool education study programs of the Faculty of Teacher Education in Zagreb.
Keywords
early childhood and preschool education; music competencies; preschool teacher; self-assessment
Hrčak ID:
200227
URI
Publication date:
28.2.2018.
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